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"𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬."

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.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

The sun was bright overhead as Negan and Sunny strolled through the small-town carnival. The air buzzed with laughter and the smell of caramel corn, and for Sunny, who was only six years old, it felt like magic. She gripped her dad's hand tightly, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in all the colors, rides, and people milling about.

"Alright, kiddo," Negan said, his grin as wide as hers. "Where to first? Candy apples? Ferris wheel? Or are you feeling brave enough for the bumper cars?" His voice held that familiar playful lilt that Sunny adored.

She scrunched her nose, glancing from one attraction to the next, unable to decide. "Hmm... maybe the games!" she finally announced, pulling him toward the ring toss booth.

Negan laughed, letting her tug him along. "Games it is," he said, rolling up his sleeves with exaggerated determination. They reached the booth, and he handed a few crinkled bills to the vendor. Sunny watched, her little hands clasped in front of her as she waited, already imagining herself winning the enormous stuffed bear hanging above.

Negan's first toss was a miss. The second one was, too. He made a show of huffing and scratching his head, then gave Sunny a wink. "Think I'm gonna need my secret weapon for this one." He crouched down, holding out a ring. "Here, take a shot, kid."

Sunny's small fingers wrapped around the ring, and with a careful aim, she tossed it... and it missed by inches. She frowned, her shoulders dropping a bit, but Negan was there in an instant, ruffling her hair and laughing.

"Hey, hey, it's just one ring. You've got this, champ." He handed her another ring and pointed to the target. "Focus on that one bottle there and just let it fly."

With renewed determination, Sunny tossed the ring again. This time, it clinked onto the bottle's neck and settled there. Her face lit up, and Negan scooped her up, spinning her around. "That's my girl!" he cheered, laughing as she squealed in surprise.

Sunny picked out a small pink unicorn from the prize rack, hugging it tight as they moved on to the next booth. They played almost every game in sight, winning a few more small prizes, each one filling her with a pride and joy she couldn't describe. All the while, Negan was right there beside her, lifting her up to see over the crowds, carrying her on his shoulders when her legs grew tired, even letting her pick out what he should eat for lunch.

At one point, he handed her a cone of cotton candy, grinning as she looked up at him with big, grateful eyes. "You know, I think I've got the coolest kid in the world right here," he said, giving her a quick wink.

Sunny beamed, feeling a warmth in her chest that was as big as her smile. "And I've got the best dad," she replied without hesitation, clinging to his hand.

They wandered over to a grassy spot beneath a tree to sit, and Negan leaned back, letting out a contented sigh as he looked at her. "You know, no matter what, you've always got me, Sun. World could go crazy tomorrow, but you and me, we're like peanut butter and jelly—always together."

Sunny nodded, feeling secure and loved. She couldn't imagine anything that would ever pull them apart. For her, Negan was not just a dad but her hero, someone who made every day a bit brighter and every worry a bit smaller.

They sat there for a while, just talking about everything and nothing at all. She told him about school, her friends, her dream to one day be a writer, and he listened with an attentiveness that made her feel like the most important person in the world. His responses were warm, encouraging, never rushing her, as if he had all the time in the world just for her.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over everything, he stood up and extended his hand. "Come on, one last ride before we go home. Ferris wheel, yeah?"

Sunny nodded eagerly, gripping his hand as they made their way to the towering Ferris wheel. She felt like she was walking in a dream, her heart full of a happiness that only her dad seemed able to give her.

The Ferris wheel creaked as they climbed on, and as their carriage rose, Sunny felt like she was on top of the world. She looked out at the town below, marveling at how small everything looked, and then glanced over at her dad, who was smiling at her with a softness in his eyes she hadn't seen in anyone else.

In that moment, she wished she could freeze time, to hold on to this feeling forever, safe in his presence, high above the world.

As Sunny sat alone in the present, those memories felt like they belonged to another lifetime. She could still remember the way he had laughed, the warmth of his voice, the way he'd made her feel like nothing could ever go wrong as long as they were together.

Now, though... he was someone else entirely. The man who had once looked at her with such care was now twisted into someone colder, crueler. That bright day at the fair was a painful reminder of how much he'd changed—and how much she had, too.

The longer she spent away from him, the more her mind liked to trick her, to make her believe he wasn't as bad as she thought. After all, she had thousands of memories of him being such a good person, it was hard to believe the dad she remembered was gone, changed entirely.

And he was going to die. That's what Daryl had said, the only way for all of this to end was with Negan dying, with the dad she remembered dying. 

Sunny knew it was bad of her, selfish even, to not want him to die. He had taken so much from her family, from everyone, and there she was, clinging to the hope that he would survive, not that he deserved it.

But he was her dad, he was the man who raised her, who always made her smile. How could she agree with wanting him dead? 

All she could think was that if he changed into this bad person, there had to be a chance he could change again. He could change into the man that she remembered. He had to.

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

Sunny was stood outside their house, watching as Rick and a few others prepared to leave Alexandria. They were headed to the sanctuary, an attempt to kill Negan and pretty much destroy the community with a horde of walkers.

The girl had barely seen any of her family since she had been back in Alexandria, they had all been none stop preparing to fight, a fight that Sunny had been told to stay far away from.

She was thankful to not be involved, as the choices weren't ones she favored. It was either fight with Negan, in hopes to kill her family. Or, fight with her family, hoping to kill Negan. She didn't want anyone to die, she just wanted it all to be over.

As well as not being involved in the fight, Sunny was also on strict rules to remain inside the walls of Alexandria at all times. If she dared step out, it was feared that a savior would spot her and take her straight to Negan. 

Sunny appreciated that her family wanted to keep her safe, but, she couldn't lie and say she was bored. Almost everyday, she was sat in their house, nothing to do, no one to talk to. Everyone was preparing for the fight, and she felt pretty hopeless, trapped not only in their home, but in her thoughts too. That's all she could do with her days, think.

What made everything a lot more confusing as well, was that she had found out Dwight was now working with them. Well, he was basically a rat, telling them all about Negan's plans, as well as helping them navigate the outposts they raided.

She didn't know how to feel about that at all. Everyone was of course wary about the man, but they had chosen to trust his words, trust that he was actually helping them since apparently, he hated Negan just as much as them.

Sunny supposed it made sense, Negan had burnt half of the mans face, scarring him forever. As well as that, Daryl had told her that one of Negan's wives was once Dwight's wife. His hatred was quite justified.

But then again, Sunny had seen first hand again and again how cruel Dwight was. He had killed Denise, he had hurt Sunny more than once and he had tortured Daryl. Sure, there was the excuse that he had to show he was loyal to Negan, but Sunny had seen that whilst he did such awful things, there wasn't an ounce of sympathy. She didn't like nor trust him whatsoever.

With her thoughts still being a whirlwind, the girl walked onto the street, watching as Rick said goodbye to Michonne and Carl, which meant he for some reason, had to give Michonne a huge kiss that lasted way longer than needed be. Gross.

Once he pulled away from the woman, his eyes landed on Sunny, he gave her a small smile as he pulled her in for a hug. Sunny sighed as she rested her head on the man, just wishing this would all be over.

He looked down at Sunny, pulling away as he rested his hands on her shoulders. "How are you?" He asked, Sunny just shrugged, there wasn't really an answer to that. Her mind was a huge mess, one that couldn't quite be put into words.

Rick's expression softened as he looked at her, catching a glimpse of the tiredness in her eyes. He squeezed her shoulders gently, his gaze warm and steady, a quiet strength she'd grown to depend on, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud.

"I know it's been hard," he said quietly. "I've watched you keep going, keepin' everyone together, even when I know you've been carrying a lot on your own shoulders."

Sunny lowered her eyes, feeling a slight heat on her cheeks. She hadn't really thought of it like that, didn't feel like she'd done anything that would make someone proud. She was just trying to make it through each day, to keep from feeling like she was falling apart.

Rick tilted his head, catching her gaze again. "You know that, don't you?" he said, his voice gentle but firm. "We're proud of you. I'm proud of you."

A small, surprised smile tugged at her lips, her eyes meeting his in disbelief. "You're... proud of me?" She shook her head slightly, almost as if to dismiss the idea. "I haven't really done anythin' worth bein' proud of."

Rick's face softened even more, his hands still resting reassuringly on her shoulders. "That's not true, Sunny. You've been through so much, and you keep going. You look out for people, you care... that's worth a lot." He paused, his voice quieting. "More than you might know."

Sunny felt a lump rise in her throat, but she swallowed it down, nodding slightly. A part of her wanted to believe him, wanted to let that warmth settle in, but another part was still tangled up in her fears, her insecurities. She felt the weight of Negan's words, the way he made her question herself, and it was hard to shake.

"Just... don't forget that, alright?" Rick added softly. "When things get tough—remember you've got people here who believe in you. Who'll always have your back."

She gave a small nod, forcing herself to meet his gaze once more. "Thanks, Rick. I... I needed that."

Rick's hand gently ruffled her hair, a familiar gesture that brought a bit of comfort, even as her mind continued to whirl.  He then moved to Carl, hugging his son tight, a promise that he'd be back.

Once he pulled away, prepared to get into the car to head out, he looked at them all, a smile full of hope on his face. "This is the end of it," he promised them, then got into the car as they all watched the vehicles full of metal armor drive out of the gates.

"I know you wanted to go with them," Carl spoke up to Michonne. "I did, too."

"Everything hurts," the woman replied. During the savior attack, Michonne had been greatly injured by one of the trash people. "But I'll help you defend this place."

"Help me?" Carl asked, clearly confused.

"Oh, yeah. This is your show." The woman said, making Carl scoff. "Okay. You'll see," she said, nudging him.

Sunny could imagine how great of a leader Carl would be, he was kind and most importantly, he valued human life. She didn't know how he didn't see it already, one day, he would lead them all and he would be amazing at it.

As Michonne disappeared down the path, leaving them alone, Sunny and Carl watched the last car roll out of the gates. Carl glanced down at her with a small, knowing smile.

"Me and my dad saw someone out there earlier. Thought I'd go leave some food for 'em," he said casually. "Wanna come?"

Sunny looked up at him, frowning. "Your dad and Daryl said I ain't allowed to leave," she muttered, crossing her arms with a huff.

Carl just shrugged, grinning. "So? I can tell you need a break from here. We'll be quick."

Sunny's stern look melted into a grateful smile. Even though Carl had grown up a lot, every so often, she'd still catch a hint of that mischievous boy—the one who used to drag her into his schemes that almost always ended in trouble.

"Alright, let's go," she replied, her smile widening as she fell into step beside him.

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

"Carl, slow the fuck down!" Sunny shouted, her knuckles white as she clutched the seat. When he'd offered to drive, she'd assumed he knew what he was doing, but clearly, that was a mistake.

"We're fine, Sunny," Carl replied, though he barely avoided clipping another curb. He shot her a smirk. "Besides, I'm doing way better than you would."

"Who even taught you how to drive?" she snapped, bracing herself as the car lurched again. She wasn't sure if the seat belt would save her from Carl's disastrous driving, but she clung to the hope.

"Uhm... myself?" Carl replied with a sheepish grin.

As they finally rolled to a stop near an old gas station, Sunny let out a sigh of relief. "Figures," she muttered.

They stepped out, Sunny's legs wobbly as her feet hit the asphalt. "You're a terrible driver," she grumbled, rubbing her arms as she tried to steady herself.

Carl scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Well, if you think you can do better, maybe you can drive next time."

Sunny shot him a skeptical look, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Fine. I'll put you to shame."

"Doubt it," he laughed, grabbing the backpack of food he'd packed. He nodded toward the empty station. "C'mon, let's go find this guy."

The two began walking, on their way there, before Carl had nearly crashed into everything, the boy had told her all about this stranger he'd saw. The man had been pleading for food, and by the looks of it, he had been on the road for a while. But, Rick had sent warning bullets in his direction, convinced he was some sort of Savior spy. 

Carl, being the good person he is, was not convinced. He wanted to help him, and Sunny was totally on board.

"Daryl hasn't taught you how to drive?" Carl asked as they made their way around fallen walkers, stepping carefully over scattered limbs on the road.

Sunny snorted, shaking her head. "Hell no. He won't even let me on his motorcycle, let alone teach me how to drive." She laughed softly.

Carl smirked, but his expression shifted as Sunny's words began to trail off. "My dad... well, he always used to say he couldn't wait for the day I turned sixteen. Said he was gonna teach me how to drive at midnight, as soon as it was official. Even talked about gettin' me some cool ass car, somethin' loud and fast." She grinned at the thought, but as reality crept back in, her smile faded. She glanced away. "I mean... I'm talkin' about Negan."

Carl's smile faltered, too. He kicked at a pebble on the ground, then looked back up at her. "What was he like... before all this?"

Sunny sighed, her gaze dropping to the pavement as memories came flooding back, both comforting and painful. "He was... good. Really good," she said quietly. "Used to make me laugh till I cried. Would take me out for ice cream whenever I had a rough day. He'd make the biggest deal about it, too, like it was some grand adventure. Made everythin' feel... safe." She paused, feeling a lump in her throat. "He knew how to make you feel like you were the most important person in the world. Made me feel like I was... enough, just as I was."

Carl nodded, listening intently. He'd seen a little bit of Negan's hold over her and knew it ran deep, but hearing this gave him a glimpse of the person she'd lost—the man he'd never known.

Sunny exhaled shakily. "But that person's gone. I don't know if he's comin' back." She kicked a rock off the road, her face hardening. "Feels like he's nothin' but a stranger now."

Carl frowned, looking at the girl. He had seen a glimpse of how Negan treated Sunny in the sanctuary, but he didn't truly know how it was. "How... how was he at the sanctuary?"

"I mean, 'part from all the weird god bullshit 'n treatin' his people like shit... he was good to me, Daryl said it was all just manipulation. But... but I dunno, I think he cares, in his own twisted way."

Carl nodded slowly, keeping his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "I mean, he took that bullet for you from Lincoln," he said. "Not many people would've done that if they didn't care at least a little."

Sunny shrugged, glancing down. "Yeah, maybe. But it's like... sometimes I feel like he does, and then sometimes it's just like... a game. Like he knows how to keep me on a string or somethin'." She took a breath, as if she was pushing something heavy away. "Do you... do you think he should die?"

Carl went quiet, kicking a stone off the side of the road. "No," he said finally, "I don't think he should. But my dad... he thinks that's what has to happen."

Sunny nodded, biting her lip. She understood why Rick thought that way, but the thought of Negan's death still left a strange ache inside her. "He's done a lot of shitty things. I get why everyone hates him. Why you hate him."

Carl shrugged, looking back at her. "I don't know if I even hate him. It's complicated, I guess. I mean, he hurt people I care about. I want him gone, but... he's still your dad, you know? I think maybe that's why it's different for me."

Sunny blinked, surprised. She wasn't used to hearing anyone sympathize with her view on Negan, not even Daryl. "You really think that?" she asked, a bit of a tremor in her voice.

Carl nodded. "I know you loved him before all this. And it sounds like... maybe a part of you still does. That's normal, Sunny. No matter what he's done, he's still family."

She swallowed, feeling her throat tighten. "I just wish he was who he used to be. That person... he's the one I miss."

They walked in silence for a moment, the sounds of their footsteps mingling with the distant rustle of leaves. Finally, Carl spoke again. "I think if you want him to change, he's gotta know you're willing to walk away. Sometimes that's the only way people figure out what matters to them."

Sunny looked at him, a trace of admiration in her eyes. "How'd you get so smart?"

Carl smirked, shrugging. "Maybe it's all those close calls with death." He nudged her playfully. "C'mon, let's find this guy before we're the ones stuck out here after dark."

The two continued walking for a bit until Carl stopped, slipping his backpack off his shoulder. "Is this where ya saw him?" Sunny asked, glancing around.

Carl nodded, pulling out a few tins of food and setting them carefully on the ground. He placed a small note next to them, scrawled with the word "Sorry." Sunny couldn't help but smile a little; he had such a good heart. Michonne was right—Carl was already showing the signs of someone who could lead.

"So, do we stake him out now or somethin'?" Sunny asked, her brows furrowing.

Carl shook his head. "Nah. We'll just come back in a couple of days. Hopefully, we'll catch him then."

Sunny nodded, and together they turned to head back to the car. She couldn't help but brace herself as they walked, anticipating another hour of Carl's terrible driving. But she smirked to herself, grateful for it—if it meant a little longer out here with her friend, rather than being trapped with her thoughts, she'd take it.

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞

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Sorry, these next chapters aren't going to be too interesting. The beginning of S8 is very focused on taking out the saviors, and I fear it wouldn't make sense for Sunny to be involved in that D: